Local Time
Intro
Output the current time.
Rendering
Note that Local Time is primarily a playback feature and so may not always render to file as expected. The value is the ‘real clock value’ so if it takes 1 second to render 150 frames, each of those 150 frames will be given the same second value. In this example, if the Composition's Frame Rate is 25fps, the output will update every 25 frames in playback whereas the render will only update every 150 frames.
The Frame Behaviour can be used to create a 'counter'.
UI
Strength - A multiple for the output. Setting this to 50% will result in time progressing half as quickly.
Mode - Select the unit of time to output:
- Milliseconds through Second -
- Seconds through Minute -
- Seconds through Hour -
- Seconds through Day -
- Seconds through Week -
- Seconds through Month -
- Seconds through Year -
- Minutes through Hour -
- Minutes through Day -
- Minutes through Week -
- Minutes through Month -
- Minutes through Year -
- Day of the Week -
- Day of the Month -
- Day of the Year -
- Month of the Year -
Output Mode -
- Unit - Output the time as a unit/value.
- Ratio - Output the time as a ratio. e.g. if it's half way through the year output Day of the Year as 0.5.
Offset - Add/subtract values to the output.
Example
- Create a Text Shape.
- Using the
+to the right of the Text attribute add a String Generator. - Set the Generator to Value.
- Add a Local Time.
- Set Mode to Day of the Month.
- Connect localTime.id→stringGenerator.number.
If today is the 11th August the Text Shape will output 11.